Railway truck



Dec. 30, 1941.

w. E. BURDICK 2,267,814

RAILWAY TRUCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 18, 1939 I INVENTOR: WILLIAME. BuRo/cK law? xATTORNEY Dec. 30, 1941. w. E. BURDICK RAILWAY TRUCK 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 18, 1939 INVENTOR; WILLIAM E BURDICK BY WATTORNEY Patented Dec. 30, i941 RAILWAY TRUCK William E. Burdick,Springfield, Pa., assignor to General Steel Castings Corporation,Granite City, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Application December 18,1939, Serial No. 309,901

14 Claims. (01. 105-195) The invention relates to railway rolling stockand consists in a spring and spring equalizing structure for trucks andis particularly adapted for use in six-wheel trucks for locomotivetenders in high speed trains.

The main function of locomotive tenders is to carry water and fuelsupply for the locomotive, and the requirements for resilientlysupporting the tender on the axles to obtain the desired ridingqualities are important because there is a great variation in the loadwhich changes from full load to light load after most of the coal andwater has been used. In order to obtain good riding qualities and saferiding qualities, particularly at high speeds, it is important that thetruck spring system be so arranged that the springs be quick enough intheir action and that synchronization of vibrations, due to the springaction, be kept to a minimum as otherwise there may be excessivebouncing action.

One type of six-wheel tender truck in general use previously included aspring support comprising a spring and rigid lever equalizing systemextending from one end of the frame to the other and embodied the use ofsemi-elliptic springs on each of the journal boxes. The action ofsemielliptic springs absorbs the rail shocks or other forces appliedthereto rather slowly because they are natural dampeners of the forcesdue to the friction between the leaves of the spring. When coil springsare used on each of the journal boxes, the action is more rapid, butthere is a tendency for successive shocks to synchronize the vibrationsof the springs, causing excessive bouncing and increasing the likelihoodof derailments, especially when under light load, and when the train isoperated at greater speeds than heretofore operated. The actions of eachof these spring arrangements give poorer riding qualities as the speedof the train is increased.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a spring andspring equalizing arrangement which has a quick action to absorb therail shocks and to include a dampening means to dampen the cumulativeeffect of successive shocks to prevent synchronization of the springreactions which would result in excessive bouncing and poorer ridingqualities. This is accomplished by providing a spring equalizing systemwhich has a coil spring unit on one or more of the journal boxes and atleast one leaf spring unit on another joumal box, which units adequatelyrespond to light shocks and will adequately absorb heavier shocks todampen the vibrations.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention- Figure 1 is atop view of one longitudinal half of a six-wheel tender truck, a portionof the truck frame being broken away and sectioned to Enore clearlyillustrate other parts of the strucure.

Figure 2 is in part a side elevation and in part a vertical sectiontaken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the correspondingsection line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section taken on the correspondingsection line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are diagrammatic side elevations illustratingmodified arrangements of the spring units.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic plan illustrating another arrangement ofspring units.

The truck shown in Figures 14 includes the usual wheels I, axles 2,boxes 3 and a rigid frame having hollow wheel pieces 4 with dependingpedestal jaws 5, transverse transoms 6, end rails I and the brake gearbrackets 8. A bolster 9, including a body supporting center plate I0, iscarried by swinging links H (Fig. 3) pivotally suspended at l2 on thetruck frame transoms in a manner well known in the art.

Each journal box 3 mounts a spring unit. The unit on the middle journalbox consists of the usual semi-elliptic or plural leaf spring l3 and thespring unit on each end journal box is a composite structure whichincludes a spring seat l4 having a downwardly-facing central portionseated in a recess in the top of the box, the spring seat extendinglongitudinally of the truck beyond the sides of the box. A series ofcoil springs l5 are disposed side by side along seat I! and a spring capl6 rests on springs 15 and extends beyond the same and the ends of seatI4 to form upwardly-facing hooks l1. A link I 8 is suspended by theouter hook I! on each cap [6 and supports a plate I9. A coil spring 20is compressed between plate l9 and a downwardlyfacing flange 2| on thetruck frame. A link 22 is suspended from the other end of cap I6 andcooperates with a similar link 23 suspended from the adjacent end ofleaf spring l3 to support a rigid equalizer having a rocker bearing 25on the truck frame.

Preferably, all of the spring units and the equalizers are housed withinthe frame wheel pieces, but this is not essential and other types offrames may be used in place of that illustrated.

The arrangement described and illustrated overcomes the difficultiesmentioned in the introductory portion of the specification as the coilsprings on the end journal boxes will act quickly to absorb the shocksand the semi-elliptic spring on the middle boxes will offer suflicientresistance between its leaves to dampen out the vibrations that may beset up in the coil springs, resulting in better riding qualities than isobtained in the other previous arrangements.

Because the rail shocks are first transferred to one of the end axles,according to the direction of the vehicle along the track, and then tothe other axles, the placing of the coil spring units on the end journalboxes is the preferred construction as the shocks will first betransferred through the quick acting coil springs and then to thesemi-elliptic springs.

It may be desirable, however, in some cases, to arrange the coil andleaf spring units otherwise and Figure illustrates a form of theinvention in which the leaf spring units 30. are placed over each endjournal box 3| and the coil spring unit 32 is placed over the middlejournal box 33.

Figure 6 illustrates a form of the invention in which the leaf springunit 40 is placed over one end journal box 4| and the coil spring units42 are placed over the other two journal boxes 43.

Figure '7 illustrates another form of the invention in which the coilspring unit 50 is placed over one end journal box 5| and leaf springunits 52 are placed over the other two journal boxes 53.

In each form of the invention illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and '7 theintermediate equalizers and the end anchorages are substantially thesame as previously described. Each arrangement of the springs may beadvantageous under certain conditions which might not exist wheredifferent types of truck construction are used or where a vehicle ofdifferent type or different capacity is mounted on the trucks or wherethe truck is operated under a different kind of track or in a differentservice.

All forms of the invention include the common feature of a springequalizing system which combines a leaf spring unit with a coil springunit having a length corresponding to that of the leaf spring but alsohaving the easy compression characteristics of coil springs.

Although Figures 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7 illustrate but one side of the truck,it will be understood that the opposite side of the truck may include asimilar arrangement of leaf spring, coil spring and equalizer units or,if desired, may include a different arrangement of such units, one formof which is illustrated in Figure 8 in which coil spring units 60 and BIare mounted on the end boxes at the lower side of the: diagram, and aleaf spring unit 62 is mounted on the center axis.

, Two leaf spring units 63 and 64 are mounted on the end boxes at theupper side of the diagram and a coil spring unit 55 is mounted on thecenter axle. Equalizers 65 and 61 connect the springs and the ends ofthe springs are anchored to the truck frame as in the forms previouslydescribed.

The equalizing systems on opposite sides of the truck may be crossequalized in various ways familiar to the art.

Although a six-wheel truck is illustrated and described, it will beunderstood that the invention is applicable to a truck or locomotive bedhaving a greater number of wheels and axles than illustrated.

The details of the mounting of the spring units and their connections toeach other and the support of the truck frame thereon are not essential,but these and other elements of the construction may be variedsubstantially without departing from the spirit of the invention and theexclusive use.of such modifications as come within the scope of theclaims is con templated.

What is claimedis:

1. In a railway truck, a series of wheeled axle members, a truck framemember extending over all of said axle members, and a spring equalizingsystem extending along the side of the truck and supporting said framemember from a plurality of said axle members and comprising a pluralityof units arranged end to end lengthwise of the truck, connectionsbetween the adjacent ends of said units and between the outer ends ofthe system and the frame member, each unit intermediate its endsengaging one of said members, one of said units engaging an axle memberbeing of a leaf spring type exclusively and another of said unitsengaging an axle member being of a coil spring type exclusivelyconsisting of a plurality of upright coil springs compressed between alower spring seat, supported intermediate its ends on the axle member,and an elongated upper spring seat movable relative to said members, theconnections to the ends of said coil spring type unit being through theends of said upper spring seat only.

2. A truck as described in claim 1 in which the connection between theleaf spring type unit and the coil spring type unit is substantiallyrigid from end to end and intermediate its ends is pivoted to the truckframe member.

3. A truck as described in claim 1 which includes two spring units ofone type of spring and one spring unit of the other type of spring.

4. A truck as described in claim 1 which the spring equalizing systemincludes two spring units of the coil spring type and one spring unit ofthe leaf spring type.

5. A truck as described in claim 1 in which the spring equalizing systemincludes two spring units of the leaf spring type and one spring unit ofthe coil spring type. x

6. A truck as described in claim 1 in which the spring equalizing systemincludes two spring units of the coil spring type at the ends of thetruck and one spring unit of the leaf spring type between said coilspring units.

7. A truck as described in claim 1 in which the spring equalizing systemincludes two spring units of one type at one end and at the middle ofthe truck respectively and one spring unit of the other type at theother end of the truck.

8. A truck as described in claim 1 in which the spring equalizing systemincludes two spring units of the coil spring type at one end and at themiddle of the truck respectively and one spring unit of the leaf springtype at the other endof the truck.

9. In a railway truck, a series of wheeled axles exceeding two innumber, a truck frame, and a continuous equalizing system carried bysaid axles and comprising alternate spring units, seated on said axles,and levers pivoted intermediate their ends to said frame, one of saidspring units being a leaf spring and another of said spring unitscomprising a seat mounted intermediate its ends on an axle and carryinga plurality of coil springs which mount a saddle, the ends of saidsystem being anchored to the truck frame and the ends of said leafspring and said saddle between the axles being connected to the adjacentends of said levers.

10. In a railway truck, three wheeled axles, journal boxes thereon, atruck frame, a spring unit of leaf spring type exclusively mounted onone of said boxes, a spring unit mounted intermediate its ends on anadjacent box and comprising an elongated spring seat with a plurality ofsprings of coil spring type exclusively disposed along the same andmounting an elongated cap, an equalizer bar having its ends secured tothe ends of said leaf spring unit and said cap respectively andintermediate its ends being pivoted to said frame, a spring structure onthe remaining journal box, another equalizer connecting said springstructure and one of said units and intermediate its ends being pivotedto said frame.

11. In a raliway truck, three wheeled axles, a truck frame, a springseat mounted on each of the end axles and elongated longitudinally ofthe truck, a series of springs of coil type exclusively on each of saidseats, an elongated cap carried on each of said series of springs, theouter end of each of said caps being anchored to the truck frame, arigid equalizer supporting the truck frame inwardly of each of saidseats, connections between the outer end of each of said equalizers andthe adjacent end of the corre sponding spring cap, and a leaf springmounted on the middle axle with its ends connected to th inner ends ofsaid equalizers.

12. A truck as described in claim 1 in which the spring equalizingsystems at opposite sides of the truck comprise similar alternatearrangements of leaf spring units and coil spring units.

13. In a railway truck, three wheeled axles, a truck frame, a springseat mounted on each of two of said axles and elongated longitudinallyof the truck, a series of springs of coil type exclusively carried oneach of said seats, an elongated capmember carried on each of saidseries 1 of springs, a leaf spring member mounted on the other axle, theouter ends of said members nearest the end of the truck being anchoredto the truck frame, rigid equalizers supporting the truck frame betweensaid axles, and connections between the ends of said equalizers and theadjacent ends of said members.

14. In a railway truck, three wheeled axles, a truck frame, a springseat mounted on the middle axle and elongated longitudinally of thetruck, a series of springs of coil type exclusively arranged side byside on said seat, an elongated cap carried on said series of springs, arigid equalizer extending longitudinally of the truck from each end ofsaid cap and supporting the truck frame between adjacent axles,connections between the inner end of each of said equalizers and theadjacent end of said spring cap, and leaf springs mounted on the endaxles with their inner ends connected to the outer ends of saidequalizers and with their outer ends anchored to Y the truck frame.

E. BURDICK.

